Improvement in letter-boxes



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FREDERICK WIT'IEAM, or' sANrEANCIsCo, CALIFORNIA Letters Patent No.91,583, dated June 22, 18.69.

IMPROVEMENT IN"LETTERBOXES.

The Schedule-refe'rred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To Vall whom it may concern: f

Be it known that I, FREDnRlcK WITrnAM, of San Francisco, in theState ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Letter-Boxes,to be attached to lamp or other posts, sides of buildings, doors, orother convenient places in the streets of towns or cities,in whichletters may be deposited foi the purpose of being collected by carriersand duly mailed. I

To enable others skilled inthe art to make aud use this, my invention, Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same, referencebeing had to the annexed drawin s makinnr a art of this s eciiica.-

I b I y l tion, in whichf Figure l is a view of the letter-box; Y

Figure 3 shows the position of the cover when opened, to place a letterwithin the box;

Figure 2 shows the lid closed, with the space opened, through which theletter drops into the main portion ofthe box;

Figure 4 is an end view of the cover, and the rod connecting the same tothe weighted ledge; and

Figure 5 is a front view of the same. Y

My object is to .make a cheap, Vsubstantial letterbox, one that cannoteasily get-ont .of order, and into which the rain or snow cannotpenetrate.

IThe box A is made of cast 0I' other iron, or other desirable material,but it need not necessarily conform to the exact shape shown in thedrawings.

a. is the door opening into the box, and fastened in the usual manner,from which the letters deposited are taken by the proper person. Thisbox may be made in onepiece, with the exception of the lid or door. A

B represents the cover of the box, and is curved, projecting over boththey sides and ends of the upper portion ol' the box, marked b.

To this cover is firmly attached, by welding, riveting, or otherconvenient manner, the rod O; and to the lower end of said rod is alsoattached the weighted disk or ledge D.

These three parts may be cast or made in one piece and of uniform size,so that they may be readily duplicated in case of necessity, and appliedto the box A.

At or near the centre of the rod C, as shown at X, a hble is left, intowhich rivets or screws F are applied, to firmly att-.Lch the same to thebox A, at either end of the same; these rods being placed near theouter` ends of the cover B, to admit of the adjustment above stated. Y

The box itself, however, can be made in'such a man:

ner as to avoid'the use of this piece of metal E, without changing theprinciple of the invention.

The weighted disk or ledge D is so attached to the rod C, that it willalways keep the cover or lid B closed, unless force is applied. to theknob c to push back the lid or cover, when letters are to be depositedinthe box, as shown in iig. 3.

Then, as soon as the letter is deposited therein, the lid or coverassumes the position shown in fig. 2, and the letter drops down into theniain y body of the box At.`

It will be seen, therefore, from the drawings, that to form a perfectletter-box, according to my invention, the Awhole can be constructed inthree pieces, each of which may be of uniform size and shape, easily puttogether, and repaired `when necessary. 'y

This invention may also be applied to ballot-boxes, without materiallychanging the mode of construction or operation, or safes for money, andother analogous purposes.

The lettcrs'are deposited inthe following manner:

The lid or oo ver B is pushed back, and the letters or otherjnail-matterplaced within the oriiice d. They drop down upon thedisk. or ledge D,andare there retained until the hand is removed from the lid or cover.The weighted disk or ledge then drops and assumes a vertical position,and the let-ter falls into the bottom of the box A.

It is apparent, that by applying a weight to the lid or cover B, the boxcan be placed in an inclined p0- sition, and be operated insubstantially the manner herein described, the weight being firstremoved from the disk or ledge D.

This box can also be applied for the purposes of re-` ception of papersor packages for delivery.

that I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy The combination of the lid or cover B, rods C, disk orledge D, withthe box A, in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

FREDERICK VITTRAM.

Witnesses:

B. F. JAMES, F. W. Dow.

